System for using whitewater and soapy water in places of residence

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an integrated system for saving whitewater and using soapy water in washrooms mainly in housing and especially to be used in bathrooms wherein both the whitewater and drinking water is saved in an integral manner and the soapy water generated from washing under the shower and/or in the bath is used. The invention also relates to elements for collecting, storing, filtering and pumping the soapy water, as part of the system, for using same in the cleaning of bathroom furniture and other general uses.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is related to toilets, sinks and hydraulic installationsin bathrooms, especially is related to systems to use and save clear orwhitewater from toilets, sinks and showers used in housing. This isrelated to improvements for saving clean water in houses for help savewater by using it efficiently and responsibly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is related to saving systems to save clean or whitewaterin sanitation, mainly in housing, this water is saved to be used inbathrooms, pretending to save and take advantages of the use of cleargrey or soapy water generated in showers instead of drinking, clear orwhitewater.

Mainly, this invention is related to improvements and implements on thereceptor device, flow and control devices and filter system for soapywater obtained in showers.

In the state of the art there are Inventions whose common denominator isthe recovering or reuse the cold water from the showers or otherhydraulic devices which use and handle warm water, including store itand lead it to containers. The water that normally is wasted with thesecontainers is allowed to be in sinks for sanitary use or in some casesrecirculates water to heaters. However, none of these inventions whichare described in this document solves comprehensibly an additionalaspect: to use soapy water and save clear or drinking water usednormally in bathrooms, understanding that this soapy water is fromshowers. This water normally is discharged toward drain, nevertheless,the quality and quantity of this water allows giving it an additionaluse, such as for bathrooms and toilets. This action gives theopportunity to save water from the shower and also save and reuse soapywater to use it in toilets when normally we use clear water every timewe flush; with this invention we substantially reduce the use of clearand drinking water.

Here some representative inventions are described, which allow us toshow how to use and save drinking and clear water from the shower worksso far, yet the use of soapy water to be reused into another sanitaryuse is not allowed.

For instance, there are devices or hydraulic systems to save water whichare directed to dispense efficiently such fluid in specificapplications, such as patent MX 164908 describes, this is an hermeticbox containing water to be dispense toward the toilet, the functionalitymakes water drop down under pressure and save water in the bathroom.However, this invention does not solve the saving water problem at all,overall saving and reused soapy water from showers.

In the case of the Utility Model MX1923, an hydraulic arrangement aredescribed whereby cold water from the shower is diverted toward acontainer to be used in toilets later, it is regulated through valvesuntil water temperature dropping by the shower is comfortable for users,on this way cold water is saved.

The Mexican patent 251376 refers to a saving hot water system whichoperates between the water heater and shower, bathroom, or kitchen sink,and describes a recirculating system of cold and hot water which byusing an electro-mechanical system that allows an automatic operation byusing an electronic system and temperature and water flow sensors. Usingsuch electronic and electromechanical systems seems not be astrustworthy to be used in dwellings and this invention only save clearor drinking water which comes from water heater toward showers or sinksin bathrooms or kitchens, sending water to another deposit to be used intoilets or sinks.

There are other systems to save water that have the same or similarfunctionality, to save water coming from shower. For example the U.S.Pat. No. 4,554,688 refers to a system that save water flowing undercertain temperature, it includes solenoid control valve controlled by aset of temperature sensors and a water pump which recirculates coldwater toward water heater. This invention also recirculates and saveclear water, improving water heater performance.

The U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,456 describes a system to save cold water inshowers that comprises a cold and clear water receptor and a set ofvalves that allow store cold water stay in a deposit to be reused later.

Other systems refer to hydraulic accessories by which the user canchoose to use water from the heater either a shower or to a receivingvessel, which makes the user can direct the cold water will preventwater wastage otherwise would go to drain without being used. Such isthe case of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,277,218 and 5,941,504. At the same time,there are cases of inventions using microprocessors incorporatingrecirculation or pressure sensors, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,287,570 and 5,794,643 with which such control is achieved by takingadvantage of differential flows and temperatures pressure. All theseinventions are efficient in concept but only refer to the clear waterrecirculation and electronic and sensor systems are often complex.

Another case is the U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,544 in which the invention hasincorporated accessories next to the shower that permit to store clearwater to use it later.

Also there are inventions focused to recycle soapy water to be used inbathrooms, such as the case of the Mexican Utility Model MX736 that getthe soapy water toward outdoor deposits. Mexican patents MX 181159 and181169 do this, too and corresponds to the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,341,529 and5,445,146 respectively, that describes a system to recirculate soapywater toward the toilet, however they are complex systems that have tobe adapted to W.C. tank, due to this they are not reliable and we canonly reuse soapy water.

In spite of all these options described, all these inventions aredirected to get and reuse just one kind of water; cold water which is inall cases clear or drinking water that come from a main tank installedin houses or apartment buildings, that has passed from water heater toshower. In none of these cases we have the option to get another kind ofwater that are generated in bathrooms like soapy water, the quality ofthis kind of water permit users reuse it in convenient way in toilets.

In this sense, our patent application PCT/MX2010/000015 whole conceptintegrates a system for clear water saving and use of gray water frombaths comprising: a system for the collection and use of cool water froma water heater that is diverted to at least one collection or depositsystem as the water is cold, a collection system that cold clear waterwhich is fed by a system until the water reaches a comfortabletemperature for the user; a system for the use of the clear, cold wateras a source of drinking water or clear, a system to divert hot waterfrom the heater to the shower for bathing service, a system ofcollection and pumping of soapy water that is produced by the userduring bathing at least one storage tank of soapy water, a system foruse in medical devices such soapy water, Toilets and cleaning of serviceareas.

According the present invention, we have improved our water collectionand pumping system of soapy water that is generated in the shower, as aresult this invention is going to improve the use and quality of thiskind of water, recirculating, filtering and handling soapy water, so wesave and reuse the water used in a bathroom and shower.

Therefore the object of the present invention is to save and use inefficient way water from bathrooms to be adaptable in easy way and notexpensive for installations in existence and new buildings, withoutcomplex sanitary installation, electronic systems or microprocessorswould be required.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system thatpermit to reuse and save clear and drinking water from showers and sinksinto bathrooms.

Another object is to provide a system for integrated soapy water useproduced from bath or shower, tub or both and even the sink itself,mainly in sanitary uses the same toilet or other household uses.

As also is aimed to provide a system that allows full use of differentqualities of water in a bathroom.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system forutilization and saving water which avoids the complete or partial wastewater which is initially clear (drinking) and subsequently soapy showersand/or personal use tubs or collective bathrooms.

Yet another of the objects of the present invention is to provide systemof manifolds and reservoirs that can be installed in any bathroom thathas shower without altering the hydraulic and/or sanitary pre-existinginstallations.

Yet another additional object of the present invention is to provide acirculating pumping scheme and improved that allows greater efficient inthe use of water recovered and recycled in the system object of thepresent invention.

These and further objects of the present invention may be bestappreciated and in more detail in the following description and theaccompany figures, following the same reference numerals for indicatingparts thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic and representative diagram of the preferredembodiment of the system to use water and soapy water object of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of soapy water collecting tank of the presentinvention, which includes the same reservoir or metal tray and its lid.

FIG. 3 shows a lateral section view of a preferred detail of the soapywater floor drain in the reservoir or metal tray.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the supporting reticule assembled insidethe collection tank or reservoir of soapy water, object of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the filtering system of the collectingcontainer or reservoir of soapy water of the system object of presentinvention

DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The characteristic details of this novel system are shown in thefollowing description and the accompanying figures, following the samereference numerals for indicating parts thereof.

We have an invention which is a system to save clear water and recyclepartially or totally soapy water. As it has been written in previousparagraphs, this invention solves essentially two issues, which arerelated to wasting clear and drinking water that happens meantime waterin the shower gets comfort temperature user needs, and also the waterwasted when is dropping by shower. This system has the capacity to reuseas far as 90% of water used in the shower; we have this in any of thedifferent models of this system, the 10% leftover overflows toward thedrain already installed in the shower zone. This system can be installedin any kind of bathroom having a shower or tub. As a result of this,this invention is subscribed to the list of inventions which help tosave drinking water and recycle soapy water.

According to what is shown in FIG. 1, there is a non-limiting embodimentof the present invention consisting of a integrated system for clearwater saving and use of soapy water that occurs in bathrooms, which isinstalled in a bathroom provided with a shower. The hydraulic system isinterconnected by water lines based on rigid or flexible pipes thatbecome available.

In accordance with operation of the system object of the presentinvention, reference will now be made to each of the typical componentsthat comprise the system to some embodiments thereof and theirrespective functionality.

The water use system clear and soapy water object of the presentinvention as already mentioned, is intended to pick not only save clearwater coming out of the shower, but also take the soapy water from theuse of the shower or a bathtub or both, in order to use this soapy orresulting water in an application in that is not strictly necessary touse clear or whitewater, as is the case with sanitary toilet or W.C.Thus, the integral functions in principle to capture clear or drinkingwater from the water heater and that while the temperature reachesdesired by the user to exit the shower (5) can be conveniently utilized.This water flows through the control line (7) and that comes fromgeneral reservoir tank or water service. Thus, clear water flow into theshower are controlled by the flow valves (3), such that by opening saidcontrol valves clear water will circulate in the common feeding tube(1). As before mentioned, the purpose of this integrated system is usingthe soapy water from user's bathing use to additional applications.According to what is shown in FIG. 1, the water flows from the showerand is captured by a reservoir system or metal tray (220), which ispreferably placed under a platform where the user stands up to bathe. Isprecisely in this capture system (220) which captures the soapy waterthat are generated during bathing. One embodiment not shown, is thatinstead of shower and bath tray the system may provide with bath andpower systems to the bath and/or showers, in such a way that theintegral system of the present invention can operate similarly to therespective settings, with a tub instead of a shower or both of them,this invention can be work just adjusting necessary components, keepingthe main target of the system, to capture soapy water to reuse it.

Thus, the soapy water (12) to be captured by tray (220) is conducted bythe output line (26) into the conduit (28) and from there to the suctionpumping system (50). The figure shows a pump (50) which can beelectrically, mechanically or can even be a turbine driven by the watercurrent itself. In accordance with the present invention, the embodimentbeing described is a system of electric suction pumping

Said suction soapy water may be provided with filter elements in orderto prevent the passage of objects which cause damage to the pumpingsystem of soapy water. Also according to an embodiment of the presentinvention can include an electro levels system appropriately adjusted sothat it may be an element of control in operating of the pump (50) andto permit it to stop in the event that the soapy water contained in thereservoir or in the bathtub runs out. Moreover, and in order to have achoice in soapy water discharge and not wish to reuse, the tray or tubmay be equipped with a conventional valve or pedal operated such as waythat allows leave soapy water flowing to drainage or to additionalapplications. The spillway system will be described later. Soapy waterthat is sucked by the mentioned pump, flows upward through the line(153) to the toilet deposit (122) containing soapy water (131), havingin some preferred embodiments one or more one way valves (check) toprevent the return of soapy water to the pumping system and/or to thedeposit or reservoir of soapy water. Is this one of the preferred way touse the soapy water directing it towards the toilet deposit, being thisfrom which it takes advantage of its use according to what will beadditionally mentioned below.

The pumping soapy water system can have an electro level system (72, 70,74) installed in different levels according the capacity of W.C. tank(122) and capacity of the pumping water system (502), with this elementwater levels are controlled more efficiently.

According to FIG. 2, a cover tray (221) and deposit (220) or reservoiris illustrated, both of these elements can be built with differentmeasures to fit into shower zone or tub zone. The deposit (220) withstandard measures will be set in horizontal way on the shower zone. Thecover tray and deposit will capture soapy water generated meantime usertakes a shower and after that will be pump toward W.C. tank (122) or toany other kind of preferred use. Deposit (220) will capture soapy waterwhich is going to enter through a floor drain (238) set on the covertray (221), the shape of this element is to avoid odors come out, alsodeposit has an overflow (235) which function is when deposit gets full,the leftover soapy water flows through this element toward drain. Alsothe cover tray (221) provides of an air vent element (240).

FIG. 3 shows a detail of a preferred embodiment of the floor drain,which is assembled or coupled on the cover tray, this floor drain has around grid (238), through this grid soapy water flows toward the cone(239) of the floor drain, the soapy water is led to a vase (245) whichis going to lead the fluid into filtering system (179), which isillustrated in FIG. 5, this filter is installed into the reservoirsystem.

According to FIG. 4, at inside the reservoir (220) is positioned areticle or supporting structure (260) in order that, through therigidity that gives, allowing as well to maintain a suitable spacingacross its elements (261 and 262) so that the filter element (177) canbe housed and the soapy water to flow through the same Other functionsof the graticule or internal structure of the tank or metal tray is alsoto ensure the stability of the cap and the weight of the user or personwho is under the shower or taking a bathroom shower

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of detailed arrangement of the filter element(177) that comprises of coils of flexible rubberized material containinginside materials or mixture of filter materials, which can be eithernatural or stone, plastic or activated charcoal or any other whichbecomes available. This filter element serves to filter the capturedsoapy water for shower and bath to remove solid material as possible,and any other soapy material that is required to remove, and which mayresult in clogging pipelines and therefore damage several elements ofthe pumping system. Is necessary to comment that the system of thepresent invention can function perfectly well without filter elementplaced in the tray and instead can use other filtering mechanisms oreven without them, without the spirit of the invention is modified

A more specific embodiment of operating the system of the presentinvention and according to all described figures, includes at soapywater uptake in the horizontal vessel (220) and the operation of anelectric motor (50) which serve to pump soapy water captured in thereservoir of the system and to put to reuse destination, directly to thetank of the toilet (122). The system would capture the water from themoment that users open the mixing faucets or valves (3), the water willrun through the common supply line (7) existing the sprinkler coming outof the shower (5), the water will be captured by the horizontal tank(220) to enter through the grid floor drain (238) that is in the tankcover (221), entering in to a cesspool (245) which is connected to thefiltration system and that consists of a coil (177) that achieves itspath with the aid of supporting grid that contains stone material (179)through which pass the captured soapy water for the shower and remainswithin the reservoir (220) for reuse in discharges WC (122) byconnecting soapy water tank (220) to the pumping system (50) for anyoutput (181) of the tank. The electro levels system, that is locatedwithin the pump unit (50), comprises a remote control and two sets ofsensors. Control knob is placed in automatic mode, while one of the setsof sensors (72) is installed in the container of the pumping unit andwhile the other set (74) is installed inside the case of the WC Thesensors send the signal for activating the motor (50) and thus suckingsoapy water (12) from the reservoir (220) to move such soapy water tothe tank after of the toilet (122). This system will work automatically,making our invention to be practical, functional and comfortable for theuser, thereby not consuming large amounts of electrical energy.

The installation form includes that the soapy water tank (220) is placedin the shower zone, ant it will connect to the pumping set (50)preferably with PVC tubes of about 1 inch. Pumping set (50) has a flowdeflector with two outputs approximately 0.5 inches with a router button(65), while the outputs are connected at flexible tubing 0.5 inchdiameter, one of which was connected to the power WC and the other tosupply clean water.

The water feed to the unit will require a bypass valve (130), in casethere is no previously installed. The bypass valve (130) avoid overclear water from the water tank, and that feeds the toilet cabinet,allowing the equipment to use water clear and soapy water, feed tank WC(122) with soapy water (12) that has been recovered from a shower orfrom the bath. It is also expected that not having water stored in thereservoir (220), with flow to the deflector (65) and will change thedirection of water inlet and open the bypass valve (130) to feed theunit with the system traditional gravity from the main service watertank. In this way, the user can have the original hydraulic system withthe installation of basic equipment soapy water recycling of the presentinvention.

We have disclosure a preferred embodiment of our invention which permitsto reuse 90% of soapy water generated during a shower, this capturedwater is going to be used into the toilet instead of using clear water,saving drinking or clear water.

It is important to mention that this patent disclosure has illustratedthe operation and installation of the clean and soapy water use systemin the same loom (bathroom). With this invention, we can reuse thecaptured soapy water not only in toilets, if not also for other uses;such as bathrooms which do not have showers or tubs or even to storesoapy water for using it to clean floors. According this, distribution,number and kinds of deposits for clear and soapy water can be differentsize, have different locations, proportions and regulation systems. Alsothis system can be useful to take advantage of different water sourceswith different qualities, these kinds of water can come from severalplaces, for example; we can capture soapy water generated in laundryrooms (washer machines or hand washer) to be reused in toilets or fordoing general cleaning.

Our invention can use different pumping elements, current pumps or somecould be developed in future, with the purpose to save not only water,but also energy, it is possible to use gravity effects taking advantageof the water pressure and water flow, as well turbines andinterconnected pumps can be adapted to this system, even we can usealternative energy sources like solar energy, all these option to helpthis invention to be more efficient. However, we should consider allthese alternatives must be integrated to our system under the basis ofour invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An integrated system for clear water saving anduse of soapy water from baths comprising: a system for the collectionand use of clean water and/or soapy water from the shower, which to beeither used for toilet cleaning or for other general uses; a filteringelements of solids or excess soap; a suction pumping system of soapywater to be directed to feed the tank or water for use in toilet cabinetor for other uses; and an electro levels system to control the flowdiversion for system operation.
 2. The integrated system for clear watersaving and of soapy water from baths in accordance with claim 1, whereinthe reservoir tank contains a reticle or clear internal structureholding a lid or supporting, which are provided also with a cesspool forsoapy water dispensing and capturing and with internally filteringsystem of soapy water.
 3. The integrated system for clear water savingand of soapy water from baths in accordance with claim 1, wherein thefilter element is preferably a tubular coils with a filling of filteringmaterial of stone material based, plastic or any other filter features.4. The integrated system for clear water saving and of soapy water frombaths in accordance with claim 1, wherein said soapy water is used forcleaning of toilets, bathrooms, WC and cleaning of service areas.
 5. Theintegrated system for clear water saving and of soapy water from bathsin accordance with claim 1, wherein includes a pumping system suctionsoapy water which is located within the filtration system tray orcapture system, which is operated by electro levels for handling soapywater for use, preferably in the WC cabinet.